ENY 3005 Family Identification
Siphonaptera: Pulicidae
Pronunciation: pu-LISS-si-dee
Common name: common fleas
Identifying characteristics for the family Pulicidae include:
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Abdominal terga 2-6 with single row of bristles.
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Compound eyes well developed.
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Genal comb present or absent.
Additional information:
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Most fleas attacking people and domestic animals are in the family Pulicidae.
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The cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, is the species most likely
to be found on cats and dogs in Florida.
References:
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Page 308 in D. J. Borror and R. E. White. 1970. A Field Guide to the Insects.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.
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Page 357 in R. G. Bland and H. E. Jaques. 1978. How to Know the Insects,
3rd ed. Dubuque, Iowa: Wm. C. Brown Co. 409 p.
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Page 496 in D. J. Borror, C. A. Triplehorn, and N. F. Johnson. 1989. An
Introduction to the Study of Insects, 6th ed. Philadelphia: Saunders College
Publishing. 875 p.
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Page 524 in H. V. Daly, J. T. Doyen, and A. H. Purcell III. 1998. Introduction
to Insect Biology and Diversity, 2nd ed. Oxford University Press. 680 p.
Links to other web sites
Links to other Siphonaptera taxa:
Pulicidae,
[none of the six remaining families available at this time], Ischnopsyllidae,
Tungidae, Dolichopsyllidae, Hystrichopsyllidae, Malacopsyllidae, Vermipsyllidae.
Return to ENY 3005 Index to Orders
Prepared by John L. Foltz,
University of Florida, Dept of Entomology & Nematology, 3 November 1998.
Modified 24 June 2004.